


The Absence of Hope

by DraconisWinters



Series: Within the Shadows [6]
Category: LinkedUniverse - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Blood, Gen, Injury, LinkedUniverse, Sorry Not Sorry, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 07:53:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18464689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraconisWinters/pseuds/DraconisWinters
Summary: Shadow couldn’t move. Everything hurt and his body could only twitch every once in a while, never enough to actually move. He tried to say something only to have disgusting noises escape him.





	The Absence of Hope

Shadow couldn’t move. Everything hurt and his body could only twitch every once in a while, never enough to actually move. He tried to say something only to have disgusting noises escape him. Feeling the need to cough coming, Shadow tried to roll over, so he could cough up more blood, but he had no energy. It hit his body and Shadow hacked up more of his blood, but it lingered in his mouth and throat, slowly choking him. Shadow tired to breathe, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t breathe! His small twitching became frantic.

A foot slammed into his side, rolling him over and Shadow vomited up blood. It was pathetic, it was disgusting, but it was all he could do. Shadow weakly glances over to see who had kicked him, only to see Acidic there, refusing to look at him. The bags under his eyes had darkened significantly and his red eyes were dulled with-was that guilt? Acidic looked around and saw that no one was listening. He sighed and refused to make eye contact with Shadow as he muttered,

“About last night. I knew you were trying to get rid of me. I knew about the mirror, we all did. But what Savage did…well…wouldn’t mind havin’ a conversation with you. You aren’t like the others…it’s…acceptable…sorry.” And like that he was gone.

Shadow’s blue eyes widened in shock as he watched Acidic retreat to continue the search with the others. That…that was strange. And as much as Shadow wanted to believe it was true, and he wanted to so badly, he couldn’t. The sting of Callous’ betrayal was still fresh, too fresh.

Shadow closed his eyes in exhaustion deeply breathing and slowly began to drift off. He couldn’t even remember the last time he slept. A sigh of relief escaped Shadow as the back ground noise faded away and Shadow’s breathing evened out peacefully.

Only to be interrupted by a jab to his back. 

Shadow let out a strangled cry of pain and his back arched inward. His back had already ached from the lack of movement and with the force just applied, as he had thought before, everything hurt.

Tempest’s laugh sounded from just behind him, cruel and scathing as he sneered, “You know Traitor, with those blue eyes, you certainly stand out among us,” Shadow breath hitched in fear, “In fact,” Tempest continued, “If we were to put you in green, you’d be our own little Link. A perfect little punching bag.” 

Shadow’s eyes widened in fear.

“His hair isn’t blonde dumbass!” Shadow could hear Conqueror shout.

Tempest smiled cruelly, “I think I can overlook that.” Tempest cracked his knuckles and Shadow winced. Even though Tempest was only a child, this was going to hurt.

“Tempest, Eternal said he need to talk to you, quit messing with the Traitor,” Acidic called before adding, “Besides we all know you’re too weak to do and actual damage.”

Tempest whirled around to face the taller Dark. “Who are you calling weak?”  
“You know.”

Tempest screamed in rage and ran towards Acidic who easily brushed him aside. Shadow sighed in relief, but resigned himself to more exhaustion, because he couldn’t risk falling asleep. Who knows what they’d do?

…

A day passes by.

They still haven’t found his mirror and Shadow can see Eternal growing increasingly more angry, although no one had approached him since Tempest yesterday and for that Shadow was grateful. 

“Acidic, quit looking at your mirror and help us!” Eternal snapped looking at the aforementioned man, who sat off to the side looking at the back of his mirror.  
“It’s strange,” Acidic commented offhandedly, not paying any attention to Eternal.   
Eternal huffed and walked over to Acidic. Shadow felt nervous for the man as Eternal got closer. “What?” their supposed leader growled. But then, as he looked at the mirror, his face froze in shock as well, before a malicious laughter bubbled out of him. “Oh that fool! Well, can’t wait to see him when we kill them. He’ll probably be begging for death!”

Acidic looked over to Eternal, before a smirk broke out on his face, “Yes, he most certainly will.”

Before Shadow could witness any more of their conversation, Shadow was distracted by footsteps approaching him. He closed his eyes, tensed and waited for some kind of pain, but none ever came. Shadow meekly opened an eye and saw a pair of black dusty boots in front of him. He knew those shoes. 

Shadow looked away as Callous kneeled down, ever present smirk resting on his face, making Shadow feel sick to his stomach. “Don’t look give me that look,” Callous laughed, “You would have done the same thing…or at least you would have if you were a real Dark, but you’re not.”

Shadow began blinking back tears. Damn it, when did he become this weak? Callous lifted up Shadow’s chin forcing Shadow to look at him, “You know, the Light world is no place to hide a mirror. It could easily be broken by a number of things.” Shadow’s eyes widened in fear and a single tear rolled down his cheek, paving a path through the grimy dirt that was caked in his face. He tried to voice his protest but all the came was a few agonizing whines and more blood. Callous dropped Shadow chin and he was so exhausted he just allowed his face to hit the dirt. “Truly pathetic.”

Shadow only laid there as Callous walked away, allowing the dirt underneath him to become mud as he couldn’t stop his tears from flowing.

…

Another day passed.

Shadow’s heart was beating rapidly as he watched Callous and Eternal have a quiet conversation. Callous was telling him. They were going to find his mirror. Shadow’s breathing sped up as his panic grew. Shadow stomach rolled when a disgusting grin settled onto Eternal’s face and he announced, “Ready your weapons, I believe it is time to give our counterparts a greeting they will never forget. Oh and Stygian, grab the Traitor.”

Shadow was roughly pulled to his feet by Stygian and he gritted his teeth in pain. Even if he could verbally protest they wouldn’t listen. Stygian’s nails dug into his arm and Shadow swore he could hear laughter from behind the two of them, but there was no one there. 

“Start walking or I’ll drag you,” Stygian growled and Shadow shuddered, it was the first time he had heard Stygian speak since arriving and he had forgotten how deep his voice was.

But heeding the man warning Shadow attempted to put one shaky foot in front of the other, only to almost crumple back to the ground to weak to even hold himself up. Stygian sighed in annoyance and pulled something out of his bag. The tip of a bottom was forced into Shadow’s mouth and before Shadow could stop himself, he swallowed some of the liquid. His eyes widened in panic. He was about to die from poison.

“Calm down,” Stygian growled, removing the bottle and putting it away, “I just don’t want to drag your corpse through the Dark world.” Shadow could feel energy returning to him and his legs become more stable. “Now come on,” Stygian growled, pulling Shadow along. 

Shadow numbly moved his feet and accepted his fate. This was it. They were going to kill him. Probably bargain their counter parts lives for the mirror, kill him, and then kill everyone else. Shadow didn’t react when he felt the world shift to Light and as they traveled through the night. It was a similar path he had taken not too long ago, but this time the aura of death was present. 

The sun had just set and the sky was filled with beautiful colors, too bad Shadow couldn’t enjoy them. As they got closer to the camp, Shadow began to hear voices and tried to dig his heels in the ground to stop the confrontation. Stygian rolled his eyes and easily yanked Shadow forward, causing the smaller dark to trip and stumble, but didn’t allow him to hit the ground.

Shadow heard a soft gasp somewhere in the forest and looked around, but there was no one other than them. The other Darks didn’t react at all, maybe he was hearing things, going insane.

Once the heroes’ camp was in view, Eternal took him from Stygian saying, “Thank you for baby-sitting.” Stygian only grunted in response. Shadow held in a groan, Eternal’s grip hurt even worse, although considering what Shadow had nearly done…it made sense.

Eternal pulled Shadow up to the front with him. The heroes were sitting around talking happily and Shadow felt a pang in his heart, until he noticed the mirror in Four’s belt. He was protecting it! He did still care!

And Shadow was about to get them killed.

“Noble,” Eternal growled, “Get their attention.”

Noble saw a bucket of water sitting right next to their burning fire. Pulling out a blunt-tipped arrow, the man smirked as he knocked and released the arrow. It the bucket with a thud, knocking it over and dousing the fire. The heroes all jumped to their feet unsheathing their swords. 

The one who looked like Eternal stepped to the front of the group, giant sword ready as he growled, “Are you going to come out and fight or hide in the shadows like a coward?”

Eternal yanked Shadow forward as he moved closer, full of confidence as he responded, “I will always be willing to step down from my pedestal to kill you Hero of Time.”

Shadow watched as the man’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re dead. I killed you.”

“A minor setback I will admit, but killing me? No. That is not what happened.”  
Shadow saw Four peak around from behind the taller man, he gasped and exclaimed, “Shadow!” The hero was about to run over before he was grabbed by a man in a blue scarf who shook his head,

“There are others.”

“What?” Four whispered only to look on in shock as the other seven Darks emerged. 

“Eternal,” Acidic called, “He’s not here.”

Eternal laughed, “Of course he’s not. No matter, if need be we can hunt him down later.” The man turns back to the heroes and continues, “Now, my request at the moment is quite simple. All I ask is that you hand over the mirror and we will leave.”

Four immediately shook his head, “No! Shadow is one of us and I’m not giving his mirror to you cause you gonna kill him!”

Eternal scoffed, “One of you?” The man looked down at Shadow who shuddered under his gaze. “Well,” Eternal sighed, “I suppose there is one similarity, but that can be taken care of easily.” Shadow’s breathing sped up at he heard the ‘shing’ of a knife. Four was about to protest but another hero helped hold him back and as much as Shadow wanted Four’s help, he didn’t want him to get hurt as well.

Shadow jaw trembled and tears streamed down his face at the knife right in front of his eye. Past the knife he could see the agonized look on Four’s face as he was held back by two of the Heroes who held resemblance to Savage and Conqueror.   
His entire body was shaking in Eternal’s grasp and his nails were digging into Shadow. Shadow tried to say something only to have a gurgled mess of sounds pass though his lips, followed by a few drops of blood. He was scared. Damnit he was scared. He didn’t want to lose his blue eyes, the one thing that tied him to Four.

“Maybe you’ll finally understand the side you should be on,” Eternal growled, lifting the knife.

A pained scream rang through the forest.


End file.
